Ginger
by 1995penguin
Summary: Ginger is a platypus who falls in love with a penguin, read and find out which one it is
1. Ginger

Chapter one Ginger

Darkness, darkness all around.

She couldn't see anything, just blackness in what felt like an enclosed space.

" What-what am I doing?, and where am I?" She felt groggy, probably from a needle she remember recieving just in the past few hours.

She looked around the place, blackness as always. She fanned out her webbed hand and felt around her.

The space was a wooden square, as it felt as her roughened webbed hand felt the substance. She felt around for an opening, but none was present. She put her webbed hand on her face and sighed.

" Wait, I think I remember what happened?" She whispered as she glared at the darkness.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was in Tasmania, near a crystal clear lake in the late afternoon.

Many platypi were in the water bathing, eating and some relaxing with family.

Except for her,

Her name was Ginger, a different type of platypus she had white fur and a yellow beak, she looked more like a duck than a platypus so she had less to none friends.

Ginger would stay in her burrow under the lake and watch as the platypi would dive, making detailed figure 8's in the water, watching them dive their huge bills into the rocks reveiling shrimp and eating them with ease. Even though none liked her, Ginger would always try to eat herself but none would let her.

Rolling herself into a ball, feeling the air bubbles tickle her nose she solmenly wished that she wasn't opharened. Her mother had died a year ago from a water rat insent, as for her father, he died when she was just a baby. Ginger had never woar a smile in her life.

Whilest in her own world, she never noticed all the platypus were swimming faster towards their burrows. Ginger looked up after she heared huge amounts of air bubbles making their way to the surface.

" What's going on?" Ginger yelled, none of them answered.

A rush of adrenline hit her system hard. _If none of them are going to tell me, I'll find out myself_ she thought. Ginger held her breath as she slowly came out of her burrow.

She looked around, nothing was there just emptyness, she even wondered why everyone was in such a panic.

Just then behind her she heard a loud thump, like when a rock hits the water and shadders. Ginger quickly turned around and saw two huge olive green boots staring at her.

" What is that?" Ginger asked, starting to sweat with panic.

The boots started to come closer to her, panicstrickened. Ginger swam as fast as she could to get to her burrow. She had her nose in her burrow when she felt something grab her.

" NO NO NO!" Ginger screamed as she was slowly taken from the water.

As soon as she embraced the air,she gasped and she saw a lot of platypi staring at her, wondering what was going to happen to her. Ginger stared at them with eyes that were crying and overflowing with tears.

She slowly turned to see she was in the hands of a human. The human was walking towards a jeep filled to the brim with metal cages. The human opened a cage with one hand and put Ginger in with the other. Ginger looked though the bars as the human sat down and started to drive down a long dirt road.

Ginger had her webbed hands grasped around the bars and stared at the outback, many kangaroos were about but she wasn't worried about that, she was thinking about where she was going.

_What if they're going to kill me because I'm different from the others?_ She thought, tears started flowing as she thought about how they would bring her untimely death about. Her heart ached as she could have sworn that it was getting ready for her breath to be clogged, her eyes slowly closing reveiling blackness all around her and her, peacefully reunited with her parents. Maybe, just maybe it wouldn't be that bad. To see her parents again would make her life complete, to talk to her father that she never saw or seen would make her weep with joy, and to see her mother in one peace would make her dance about with happiness.

Ginger suddenly felt the car stop. She glanced out of her cage and saw herself stationed in front of grey cemenate building. The human jumped out of the car and grabbed Ginger's cage and walked though the glass doors into a gloomy grey room filled with blue chairs. The human plopped Ginger down in front of one the chairs as she sat down.

" Platypus transfer?" A young woman's voice rang out, devoiring the silences of the fans spining around.

Ginger once again felt her cage being picked up and being placed upon a desk, showing the young woman who rang out just moments earlier. She peered inside of the cage and smiled.

" Cute little mate ain't she?"

The girl picked up the cage and walked though big swinging doors to enter a huge room with a operation table and huge lights hanging from the ceiling. Ginger saw the girl opening her cage and was put on the operation table. The girl walked towards the orange cabinets and started to rummage though them.

The girl then walked back to the table with a syrunge and walked towards Ginger, Ginger not worried knowing her life was almost over embraced the pain as the needle jabbed through the back of her neck. Ginger saw that everything was blurry and fuzzy, Ginger let herself start to close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep. The last thing she heared was the girl saying.

" Enjoy your new home"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I guess it made sence about everything that led up to this series of events. Ginger wasn't dead, but being shipped to a different place, a new home. Ginger then felt herself fully snap awake and start to knock harder on the walls of the crate.

" HEY! HEY! IS ANYBODY AROUND?" Ginger screamed as she was knocking.

Ginger stopped, her hand was starting to hurt and she felt a drip of blood start to trickle down her fur. Ginger felt herself start to cry once again, what did she do to deserve to move? Even though she was different doesn't mean that she has to leave her home. Ginger rolled herself into a ball and fall into a corner of the crate, she slowly closed her eyes and hoped that this was all a dream.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A great burst of light had awakened her.

Ginger slowly opened her eyes and stared at the light that had embraced her. She sat up and prepared herself for anything.

As her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, she saw a lot of buildings and huge walls all around, the place looked like a tropical topia of many places. Ginger then walked out of the crate and found herself beside a lake that looked similar to her lake back in Tasmania, even though she didn't know where she was, she knew she wasn't in Tasmania anymore. Ginger walked towards the lake and dipped her foot in it, it was was warm. Much nicer than the crisp, cool lake back at home. Ginger jumped right into the lake and swam around, she dove towards the pebbles and used her bill to move them out of the way, however there was no shrimp or yabbies or nothing. Upset, Ginger made her way back up to the surface.

Ginger swam back to the land and sat down and looked around. At the left side of her she saw cage that had monkeys in it and on her right side she saw a cage that had an otter in it. Ginger was shy but decided to go visit one of them, She jumped into the lake and started to swim towards the otter exbit when something else caught her eye. She swam to the front of her and saw a couple of birds doing karate lessons. Ginger just sat there and watched them, when one of them looked at her she'd duck her head. She didn't want to leave a bad impreson that she was a stalker or something.

" Hey!" Ginger heared a voice call out to her from the right side of the wall. Ginger turned around and saw the otter hanging over the wall and smiling at her.

" You must be new, hi! I'm Marlene" Marlene stuck out her paw to shake hands.

" Hello, I'm Ginger" Ginger shook hands with Marlene.

Marlene invited Ginger over into her home. Together they talked about where they came from, their families and other stuff. Ginger the whole time kept looking at the birds doing karate, she wasn't paying attention to Marlene. Marlene didn't know untill she saw she was staring at the penguins for a while.

" Who are they, I never seen those type of birds before?" Ginger asked Marlene, while not taking her eyes off of them.

" Oh there Penguins, and of coarse you never seen them before they are cold climate animals so they wouldn't be found in Tasmania, I can introduce them to you if you'd like" Marlene suggested.

" That'd be great! " Ginger started smiling, She had a feeling that those birds- penguins whatever, would become great friends with each other.


	2. Blooming

Chapter 2 Blooming

Ginger was timid as she slid over the wall to the penguin's habitat. Marlene holding onto her hand and gliding through the water, they arrived at a small block of ice surrounded by cement blocks.

Marlene pointed to an opening under the water and slipped through the opening with Ginger following behind. Inside the spiral opening the water was slipping through the drains and they could walk towards the metal door.

Marlene opened the door and jumped to the floor inside of the penguin's HQ, she turned towards Ginger and motioned her to follow. Slowly scared by the jump Ginger gathered her breath and leaned towards the floor. Ginger by an accident, slipped and fell on her face. Marlene ran over to her.

" Geez! are you okay Ginger?" she asked as she leaned a hand. Ginger held on as she stood up, unaware that the penguins were staring at her from a distance.

" Oh no!" Ginger felt herself become flustered, " I made a fool of myself haven't I?"

Marlene shook her head and smiled.

" No it's fine anyways I'll introduce you to everyone, come on!" Marlene grabbed Ginger's hand and pulled her towards the boys.

" Hey guys!" Marlene waved while Ginger hid behind her. However, Marlene pulled Ginger from behind her and placed her in front of the boys.

" This is Ginger, she's a platypus from Tasmania"

Ginger put up a hand and smiled shyly. One of penguins ( the shortest one of the bunch) smiled kindly, the second tallest stared at her. One of the penguins just smiled a crazy smile while the tallest penguins looked amused at her.

" Your a platypus?" The tallest one asked,

" Yes, I am" Ginger slowly answered.

The penguin came over and grabbed her hand and looked at, he then walked around her and seemed really excited by Ginger.

" You are a platypi, however you are of different chromosomes, that would explain your colors why there so different" the penguin went to a clipboard and started scribbling down things at the sound of light, Ginger, amused watched him as he flipped through his notebook.

" Umm Kowalski? could you speak english please?" Marlene asked, sarcastly.

Kowalski rolled his eyes and walked back over to Ginger.

" It means she's albino, her chromosomes got either sick when she was concieved or she's extremely senstive to sunlight" Kowalski answered, while still scribbling.

" What does albino mean?" Ginger asked timidly.

" It means that your skin is very fragile underneath your fur, instead of turning brown fured you turned to a milky white color, the only thing I don't understand is why your beak is yellow instead of black" Kowalski slowly went to touch Ginger's beak, Ginger took a step back just to let him know that she wasn't in the mood to be touched.

Kowalski relised this and stepped back, a little flustered about the outcome. She heared him say sorry and walk behind the group.

_Look what I've done,_ Ginger thought to herself,_ I've made him feel uncomfortable I probably look like a huge fool or jerk._

" No i'm sorry, actually I'm as curious as you are, I wonder if my father would have any say in this matter, you see my mom was a platypus as for my father, I do not know since he died when I was a baby" Ginger answered while sweating bullets.

Kowalski seemed to look more curious then flustered, he once again walked up to her and smiled.

" Do you mind?" He asked this time.

" No not at all" Ginger answered. Kowalski slowly almost pausing and stuttering tried to touch Ginger's beak, when he did he kept his flipper on it for a while.

_So warm,_ Ginger thought while her face flushed, she closed her eyes and she felt Kowalski take his flipper off her beak.

" Well it's soft like I thought, but could I do some experiments on you"

_Experiments? _Ginger felt herself become scared, the question was what kind of experiments did he want to preform? A little scared and embarrsied Ginger started walking towards the door.

" I- I'm sorry, I gotta go now, see ya Marlene and I'm sorry I haven't met everyone yet"

Ginger swam through the water and climbed over the wall and went to her habitat. She swam around for a while and tried to catch shrimp that weren't even there, she did figure 8's like she saw everyone do back home in Tasmania, no matter what she did she couldn't get the thought of needles or beakers and her on a table strapped, while Kowalski started poking at her with needles. The whole scene seemed like a frankeinstien movie. Ginger swam back up to the surface to catch her breath, when she arose she saw that Kowalski was trying to get over the wall.

_Oh no! He's gonna kill me or paralze me or something!_ Ginger swam as fast as she could to her home on the land, when she arrived at the land she ran into her burrow and rolled herself into a ball.

" Wait! Ginger!" She heared him holler.

" I'm sorry, but I don't feel like talking" Ginger said a little too hasty.

" No I want to say I'm sorry, I relised I made you feel nervous so I apoligize" She could tell he was right outside of her burrow.

Her breathing started to exhilirate and it was faster now, she wanted to run but where? She would just bust right through him and run far away. She stood up and charged right for the exit. She bumped right into Kowalski and they both fell into the pond.

When Ginger felt herself bob back up from under the water, the whole time she was suprised that she wasn't sinking, instead she felt herself holding onto something. Something soft and cuddly. Around her hips she felt two warm hands holding her up. She felt her heart race and she felt her face warm up. She noticed the soft cuddly thing was black and white. Ginger slowly looked up and saw her looking into the eyes of Kowalski, he looked down his breath was slow and steady as it hit her face, he too looked flustered.

Ginger then panicked, she let go and started swimming to her burrow and hid again.

" I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ginger said through sobs she was so embarrised she felt herself start to cry.

" No it's okay! I don't mind....ummm I must ask why did you do that?" She heared Kowalski say.

" Oh I-I was so nervous I ran but instead I- you know, I ran into you! I'm such a klutz sometimes I really didn't mean that I'm sooooo sorry!" Ginger said slowly peeking outside of her burrow.

" It's okay, I wanted to say I'm sorry for making you nervous, and by experiments I meant going through your family history"

" Oh" Ginger whispered, she felt like such an idiot she stood out more than she would have back at home. She peeked her nose out of the burrow and felt a warm flipper being placed on her nose.

" I don't know why it's so golden in color or why it's more softer than the other platypi's noses" Kowalski said, without taking his flipper off her nose.

Ginger came out of her burrow, she stared determinenly at Kowalski and smiled.

" I'd like to go back, apologize. For being rude to the other penguins" Ginger said and with that she jumped in the water and swam to the wall. When she climbed over she waited for Kowalski so that she wouldn't barge in for no reason at all. When Kowalski came over the wall they both climbed over the wall to the penguin's HQ and swam though the opening to the penguin's HQ.

Ginger was more excited then ever now, she wanted to start off on the right foot. Not look like some shy girl that got mad at a lot of things, for once in her life she actually wore a smile on her face.


	3. Chained

Chapter 3: Chained

Ginger found out about the fishbowl opening instead of the underwater one, that would save her some breath. Thanks Kowalski her heart was literally singing and she wasn't sure why. She was a semi-aquatic animal so why should her breath be bothering her under the water, today the water was stinging her nose.

She let Kowalski go in first, he opened the fishbowl and slipped down a little tunnel, Ginger followed closely behind. Ginger regained balance on a little platform, she looked around and saw the other 3 penguins playing a game of cards while balancing on their heads.

" Umm I'm I intrupting something?" Ginger had to feel that she was intruding something out of most importance. She stared at Kowalski hoping for some answers.

" No, It's poker day here, we usually train all week and it's our fun day, officially" Kowalski waddled over to the other 3 and motioning for Ginger to follow. Ginger timidly, followed over and saw the other 3 penguins looking at her.

" Kowalski," The shortest and stern penguin glared between Ginger and him.

" I brought her back" Kowalski smiled shyly and Ginger looked down flustered.

" Sure" The penguin just rolled his eyes back to the game.

Kowalski stood there beside Ginger, probably suprised about the outcome of the conversation. Ginger wasn't sure of herself either. Maybe she should just leave, it was pretty obivious that she wasn't really welcome here. Slowly, Ginger walked towards the ladder.

" Wait, er, Ginger" Kowalski ran after her.

Ginger turned around, part of her didn't want to leave but common sence said to. She turned to see Kowalski staring down at her, Ginger felt like crying but it wasn't the time to make a fool of herself. So what if she wasn't liked here? She was liked by Marlene and she still had many people or animals to meet here. Ginger felt a smile tug at her face and it exploded on her face.

Kowalski, unsure of what her expresion meant, just looked at her while tapping his flippers nerviously.

" D-do you still want to leave?" he asked, while trying to stay cool and collected.

Ginger hopped off the ladder, it was starting to hurt her hand since she grasped it so tightly. She stood on the platform and smiled, she turned towards the 3 and hollered.

" Hey! got room for 2 more players?"

* * *

It was about nightfall when the poker day ended.

Frankly, it was the most wonderful day Ginger ever had in her life. She had won at least 3 out of 5 games, though she did feel sorry for the short, stern penguin, she should stop calling him that since she had just learned his name.

Skipper.

Skipper was being made fun of since he was losing a lot of games, since he was the leader he was all about pride, glory and masqulinity. Ginger apologized numerious times but all she got was a glare, she felt so foolish for even trying on someone so thick skinned. After she won the 3 games she decided to leave, she left even after the youngest one, Private. Had told her that it was still going on.

Ginger had the most fun playing " Stomp the wambat" since it well known in Tasmania. It made her feel less homesick after playing something from her culture. Ginger knew it well so she played flawless, she won the first round of it and then she didn't afterwords. She loved the fish cookies they made, even though she prefered shrimp. And they all devoired a huge stash of candy that the penguins stold from the zoo storage.

Ginger was now in her burrow and rolled into a ball, her eyes blood shot and tired from exustion. She wished she could sleep but the eyes that bore into her mind where of Skipper's. The madness and threat that was held within them. She hadn't meant to shame him, she was in it for fun. She tried to sing a lullaby that her mother sang to her when she was young, but that didn't help a bit.

She came out of her burrow and dove into the lake. The warmness aroused her and she glided peacefully through the water. She was aware of a presence watching her, but she paid no attention. She swam on her back watching the moonlight as it danced around the ripples on the waves. Slowly the curiousty got to her and she turned to see her admirer. Marlene, was watching her and smiling.

" Hey" Marlene smiled and jumped from the wall into Ginger's exhibit.

Ginger turned on her belly and swam towards inland and waited for Marlene to come on over. Marlene had an apologetic look on her face as she aproched Ginger.

" What's wrong?" Ginger asked, while looking at her.

" I heared what happened with the guys, umm well I was over there and Skipper said he'd like to see you" Marlene replied.

Ginger's stomach twisted in a thousand knots, Skipper? wanted to see her? Was she really in that much trouble that she had to see him again? Even though she didn't feel like it, she followed Marlene to the penguin's exhibit.

* * *

Marlene and Ginger went through the fishbowl opening and slipped though the tunnel together. When they came into the penguin's HQ all eyes were on them. Ginger felt once again the hurtful presence in her stomach. Marlene walked over to Skipper, grabbed his flipper, and literelly pushed him onto her.

" Now say sorry, you hurt Ginger's feelings" Marlene said sternly,

Skipper looked at Ginger with a suprised look that turned into an unexplainable look. He turned towards Marlene and glared, then stared at Ginger once again.

" I will do no such thing," Skipper explained to Marlene.

" And why not?" Marlene asked,

" Because **you **told me to apologize, not **her** to ask me to apologize" Skipper said with a bit of a smile.

" GRR, your so stubborn!" Marlene yelled, she walked aways.

Skipper turned towards Ginger and smiled, he put one flipper on her shoulder and leaned forwards.

" Now how can I be of assistance?" He asked with a bit of a sweeter, nicer tone.

" Oh no please, don't-don't worry about it, I should be sorry! I know how males are, and and I lived with many male platypi, so i'm sorry for ummm raining on your parade" Ginger ran out of breath and felt like she was going to collapse.

Skipper was suprised, he firmed his grip on her so she would stay held up. He put his other flipper around her waist and held her close.

" Woah, woah woah! It's fine I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to come on strong like that" He did seem to calm her down though.

Ginger smiled a goofy looking smile, she let go of Skipper after she felt stabolized, she turned to Marlene and smiled and turned to Skipper and smiled.

" That's all I needed to hear" Ginger whispered, she held out her webbed hand.

" Friends?"

Skipper helf out his flipper and smiled a kind little serene smile,

" Friends"

* * *

After leaving with a more cheerful mood, Ginger full of exhaustion, carefully watching every step she took. She walked to her exhibit. Ginger aimlessly climbed up the wall and almost fell severel times, when she felt herself enclosed by warm water it relaxed every muscle in her body. She let herself float to her burrow, when she touched the warm grasses she slowly walked to her burrow and laid close to the dirt enclosed den. She rolled herself into a ball and fell into a calming deep sleep.


	4. Dawning

Chapter 4: Dawning

Why did it have to be quiet that day? Curses, curses but what good did it do to her? It was a mere misunderstanding, it'll never happen again! He promised, they promised! But still it felt lodged deep within Ginger's brain.

* * *

It was just yesterday, hmph has such a blank title now, especially after what happened. Ginger had decided to see the boys once again, she felt so relieved after she and Skipper apoligzed. Ginger had awoken to find that the zookeeper had put a couple of red shrimp in her pond, she dove without question. To feel the static electricity that ran though her nose felt wonderful, she hadn't felt that in what felt like an eternity. She pushed her bill towards the pebbles and dug up maybe one or two shrimp. A little satsified by what she found, Ginger went up to the surface and decided to relax.

When she arose, she saw a piece of paper hanging from the wall. Curiously, Ginger swam over to the wall and stared up at the paper. _How do I get it?_ Ginger wondered, her tail flicked with excitement. She dove underwater and sprung up with such force she landed on the wall. Keeping her eye on the paper she slowly crawled over to it. Ginger used her claws to stab the paper, thinking it was just paper she was shocked to hear a loud yelling sound.

She turned around and peered down, her claw was stuck on the paper and on something else. She looked down and saw that she clawed Private's flipper. Retracting immedialy, Ginger took her hand off the paper and the flipper. However, Private still crying with pain started to fall down the wall with the paper floating away.

_Screw the paper, Privates more important_ Ginger thought determinily. Ginger put out her hand, mindfull of Privates now bloodied, clawed flipper. She rapped her hand around his flipper and pulled him up, when he was up near the wall she sprung backwards and flung Private into the pond. When Ginger came back up from the water, she swam towards Private.

" Oh my gosh! Private! I'm super sorry, I-I thought it was just a piece of paper, not a flipper! Please I'm so sorry!" Ginger held onto his wounded flipper.

Trying to smile though pain and grunting, Private smiled a warm, assuring, but still in pain smile at her.

" I'll be fine, don't worry"

Ginger nodded and asked Private to come into her burrow so she could help his wounds.

* * *

" I'm sorry it's so you know.....enclosed" Ginger was pratacilly on top of Private.

" It's fine" Private breathed on Ginger's face.

They both changed their postions and tried to keep comfortable in the small enclosed den. Ginger looked out of the burrow, the air in here seemed dence, amountable almost if you will. Ginger could feel the nerviousness settling in her stomach, for no reason she couldn't comprehend why though. She needed air, and quick.

" Umm Private, why don't we go to your guy's place" Ginger asked, while she was sweating from the heat that was overwhealming the place.

She heared Private make a little mm-hmm sound. She walked to the penguin habitat.

Inside, Ginger explained what happened to Private, with the paper incident that still annoyed her like crazy. Ginger used Rico's first aid kit, though relictant at first due to the fact that he threw it up. She put Private's arm on a table and put on some peroxide and bandaged it. Ginger still felt terrible about the whole incident, she rubbed his flipper and let him rest for a while. Ginger then turned her attention to Kowalski, who was working at his table, tinkering with something.

" So what was the paper about?" Ginger turned around in order to ask Private.

" Classifed" Private rang out, with a little smile spreading on his face.

Ginger smiled, she knew about how the penguin's worked, especially after talking to Marlene. She told Ginger that she felt that they were her brothers, brothers who were very secretative about their daily lives. She warned Ginger that they wouldn't answer many of her questions, really what she meant, don't get discouraged. Ginger promised she wouldn't.

Ginger made her way over to Kowalski's work table. She stood beside him and saw him looking over blue prints, Ginger reliunent to ask at first finally summonded the courage to ask.

" Kowalski? when are we going to do the experiment?"

Kowalski stopped doing what he was doing, he turned around, removed his goggles and stared at Ginger. He then put his flipper on her nose, slowly of coarse relieuent at first. He smiled and rub her nose softly. When he relised he was taking too long he pulled back quickly. He tapped his flippers together nervously and stopped.

" No, not today but soon, if you want I could stop the experiment"

" No no! I would like to find why I was like this, the way I am..." Ginger clamped her hands together, " This is a curse, my own complexion, I lost so many friends I could've gained, all because of the way I looked" Ginger could feel herself start to break down so she stopped talking.

" Oh so this is most of utter importance to you I prosome?" Kowalski asked, while flipping though his notebook.

Ginger nodded and unclamped her hands. She looked at Kowalski, she was hoping that she could have gotten the experiment over today, even if it was just looking at her family tree. But how? That made her more curious. Her family tree wasn't written in paper, so how would they have found out? Ginger turned to ask Kowalski.

" How will you find out about my family tree?" Ginger asked, curiously.

Kowalski then turned around flustered, tapping his flippers together he put on flipper on her shoulder and whispered nervously.

" Either by cotton swab or by test"

" Why are you so embarrised?" Ginger asked.

" Because it can be pretty personial were the cotton swab is inserted, or by test it consets of your urine" He answered pretty quirky of the situation.

" I'm fine with that" Ginger answered while putting a resurring hand on Kowalski's flipper.

Kowalski smiled a little bit and then took his flipper off her shoulder, he turned around and contunied working. Ginger came and stood beside him.

" You know back home in Tasmania, there was this one platypi male. He was so smart, always coming up with some contrapation to make hunting easier for us platypi, I.....well always found him a little attractive" Ginger said while getting the nervous twitches in her stomach, " I'd never find the courage to ask him out or come to my burrow for a bit, nothing. I just gave up because he found someone he liked, and they seemed happy...."

" But your not happy" Kowalski finished her sentance, Ginger looked up at him astonashied really.

" Yeah" Ginger's voice was so quiet she was suprised that he could hear her. Ginger for some reason thought of him as soon as she saw Kowalski, and yes she had liked him for a long, long time. She rememebered always going over to his house, only to be turned away by his "girl friends" She would always go home and cry to her mom. Ginger never had a chance with a boy or any platypi for that matter, she would always be the sore thumb in the nest of platypi's.

" So, did you ever tell him your, er, feelings?" By the way he was talking, Kowalski was getting a little hot under the collar.

" No, I could never work up the courage to tell him or explain how I was feeling, just being around him made me jittery. And now that I think about it, his girlfriends would just make fun of me and call me snow white or something among that line" Ginger explained while pain sliced her heart in half.

" Oh" That's all he said, and the silence awakened in the room.

Ginger then got a look around, the room was empty. Private must have left, she hadn't seen Rico for a while, and Skipper was nowhere in sight since she showed up. Ginger then turned forwards and started kicking her feet.

" Yeah, I never was mean't to be beautiful" Ginger whispered lifelessly.

" No, that's not true... you ever hear of the Grimm's fairytale about a duck.." Kowalski was really sweating bullets.

Ginger's eyes twinkled, her mother used to tell that story to her all the time when she was little, it was mainly to help boost her self confidence. Ginger smiled a little goofy smile, he, he was trying to cheer her up by saying that she was a rose bud and that she would blossom. Ginger looked up and found Kowalski was closer to her now.

" Are you saying I'm like a swan?" Ginger asked slowly unsure of herself.

Kowalski swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded.

" Yea"

Ginger could feel embarrised but really flattered, never before was she called a swan in bloom. Instead, she was dead flower who would never change. She felt so blissful of his kind words.

" You just need time to go through your puberty and you'll be fine"

Not a true poet. But good enough,

" Well....thank you" Ginger said with warmness arising in her throat.

Kowalski never said anything but nodded. Ginger then figured it would be the approitie time to leave, she made him so nervous, and she never was the one to leave a bad impresion.

Ginger stood up to leave and felt a warm tug on her arm, she turned around and felt herself being pushed onto his body. She then felt her lock lips with him and being held tightly. Ginger could barely breathe, she wasn't suffocating but so shocked! Kowalski was kissing her, and, and, she couldn't even think straight. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled back.

" I'm sorry, it'll never happen again, I promise!" Kowalski said nearly tripping over his feet.

Ginger still dizzy after what happened, she walked over to the ladder and what felt like flung herself up to the opening. She walked more like stumbled her way to her exhibit, ingoring Marlene as well and going to her burrow and hurling herself into a ball.

It was a quiet night, too quiet. The type of night that let your mind wonder easily, unfortunely. Ginger had a hard time falling asleep. She could hear the monkey's snoring, Marlene swimming around in her habitat and the penguin's training. To her dismay the only voice that stuck out was Kowalski's even though Skipper was doing most of the talking. The only time she fell asleep was when the guys went into the HQ and slept for the night.

Btw: for those wondering about the paper, it'll come much later. And I know it seems like it's going to fast, but I'm working on it :)


	5. Tasteless

Chapter 5: Tasteless

It was a new day, a new start to a life. A day that you could pass and laugh at all past troubles, that is what she'd like it to be like. To hang with friends, maybe dance and laugh, and just smile fruitlessly without having to worry about making a fool of herself, why? Because she was among friends. At least that's what she wanted.

Ginger still tired and her heart still pounding, never gained a wink of sleep. Her mind still a little mangled of you-know-who's kiss, and her heart still searching for answers. Kowalski was so quiet how was she to know that he had feelings for her, he was such a closed book to her, and they only talked a couple of times! She knew of platypi's that hitted on fast but not like that! Ginger slapped herself and let her hand rest on her face.

" Hey is anybody home?" To be honest she expected Kowalski's voice, not Marlene's.

Ginger groaned to herself and sat up, she stared at the burrow's opening, it was blocked by Marlene's body.

" Yes" Ginger had to work up energy she didn't have just to say one word.

" Well, can I.....come in?" Marlene asked after a moment of silence.

The last thing Ginger wanted was for company, she'd rather her and a couple of sheep instead. However, Ginger was taught to be polite and kind to neighbors and friends, Ginger forced herself up and stumbled to the opening.

" No, I'll come out here instead, I-it's pretty crouded in there" Ginger said while pointed to her den.

Marlene shook her head and smiled, her face then went serious and she just stared at Ginger.

" Hey are you okay? you don't look so good?"

Why did her heart jolt so fast? Ginger could feel every muscle starting to react to her sleepless night, every vein seemed to shreak in terror when blood cells pounded though them, her eyes like blinds, just wanted to close slipping the world into utter darkness. Ginger try as she might, kept a sleepish smile and stood tall.

" I'll be fine, I just didn't get much sleep thats all, I'll be fine" She replied while holding in a yawn.

Marlene smiled and put her hands together.

" Cool, do you wanna see what the boys are up too?"

Ginger's body awoke, her body wide awake as soon as Marlene said boys, the shock was then replaced by tourture. No, no she couldn't go, but she wanted to. To risk seeing Kowal--kowal or whoever he was, would make her explode with either passion or utter madness. She wanted to shreak at him, shreak at him for making her lifeless, shreak at him for confusing her, just shreak at him! Ginger just wanted to break down into tears and cry at Marlene's lap or someone who understood her, it was times like these that she wanted her mother super badly. She just wanted to isolete herself for just one day, and cry to herself let her lifeless crys echo around her in a random direction, just to get rid of every damn memory and just die peacefully. She wished back in Tasmania that the woman just killed her if it was going to bother her this much, if only she was a time travalier.

" Umm Marlene, I really, I really don't want to go there today" Ginger replied timidly.

Marlene looked at her like she was speaking without even thinking. She then looked at her, hardly this time.

" Why? Skipper said he wanted to see you again, I think he kinda likes you" Marlene said while elbowing her.

" I'm sorry Marlene, but can I tell you something?'

* * *

Marlene was in wide eyed shock when Ginger told her what happened, she just sat there speechless for about 15 minutes. When she looked like she'd speak, she clamp her mouth shut without a sound. Ginger sat in the opposite corner, knees tucked to her stomach and rubbing them softly and swiftly. Marlene finally stood up and stared at Ginger.

" I-I nevered guess.... that Kowalski would..... do that?" Her tone made it sound more like a question then a statement.

Ginger just rubbed her knees harder.

" Well do you like him back?" Marlene asked,

Ginger looked up at her, complete unsure of the question, to be honest she wasn't sure. She never really developed in interest in the fellas yet, but one of them did, to fast for her liking. Ginger could feel herself start to cry and roll herself in a tighter knot.

" I'm not sure" she murmered.

" I just wonder what made him kiss you, that's not like Kowalski and besides I thought he like Doris" Marlene poundered her own mind, looking for an answer.

Ginger felt like a gasp of air was being taken out of her lungs, she looked up at Marlene and could tell she was crying since she was so blurry. She didn't know anything about them, mostly because she was scared of the rejection she might recieve when she asked questions. She never thought of asking if they admired anyone. Ginger never thought she'd feel such a pinch of jealousy in her life!

" He-he likes someone?" Ginger had to ask, Marlene was like her stabolizier.

"Yeah he has a crush on Doris the dolphin, well now I'm not so sure"

Ginger stood up a sher determenion on her face, she walked past Marlene and outside towards her pond. She swam up to the wall and was about to climb over when she remembered Marlene.

" Where are you going?" Marlene yelled at her,

" I'm going to get some answers" Ginger said in a voice that was not like her,

* * *

Not even scared of seeing his face, blinded by what she didn't even know. Ginger found herself standing at the fishbowl opening. She was clouded by her thoughts of freaking out at him, Kowalski. For making her worry about what a "stupid little kiss" did to her mind, for making her a shell of a body. She kicked the bowl out of the way to find she booted Skipper in the face, making him fall back down the tunnel.

" Oh my gosh! I must have been so absored in my own thoughts that I didn't see you, or hear you! I-I'm sooooo sorry Skipper!" There she goes, being Ginger apologizing all on a breathe.

Skipper regained his balance and waddled over to her, once again as is seducting her, he put one flipper on her shoulder. Ginger, pissed off, pulled it off with distaste.

Skipper noticed this right away, He stepped a few paces and made a more kinder smile, probably to make up for his rude opening.

" What's wrong with you? you seem tense"

" I am, wheres Kowalski, I have to ask him something" Ginger made herself loud and clear.

Skipper could tell she meant business, Ginger could feel herself smiling, Skipper was getting a little nervous because of her tone.

" He's where he always is, in his office" Skipper pointed his flipper at the fishbowl opening, he jumped though and Ginger followed.

Ginger found herself abandoned in the penguin's HQ, she looked around and saw she was the only one in the room. Slowly she heared a door creek open, unsure of itself was how it sounded, Ginger turned around and saw Kowalski with Skipper walking through.

The feeling of bliss and relax shifted her angry and furious demenor. Ginger could feel herself start to smile but quickly downed it, she put her hands on her hips and glared. Kowalski could tell what this was about, he quickly tapped his flippers together nervously and looked away from Ginger.

" Here he is as you asked" Skipper said while pushing Kowalski closer to her. Ginger looked up at the nervous Kowalski, timidly he smiled and waved. Ginger grabbed him by the flipper and pulled him to a place where Skipper wouldn't be watching or listening.

" What were you thinking?" Ginger then started to lose it, she felt herself applying pressure on Kowalski's flipper, she loosened it, but just by a bit.

" A-about what?" Kowalski said while his voice shifted up a couple octaves.

" You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Ginger said starting to lose her temper more easily now, " That stupid kiss you gave me, I haven't been able to sleep because it's been driving me mad! It wasn't passionate, I know that, you know that. I don't know what it is!"

Kowalski then fully understood, he then looked closely at Ginger's stare. He was about to put his flipper on her nose but swiftly pulled it away. He retracted it to his side.

" I'm sorry, but you just seemed so lonely the other night, with all the rejection in your life with the platypi's, and the Grimm brother's fairytales it just reminided me of.......well me" Kowalski replied timidly while putting his head down.

Ginger could feel herself start to cool off, she hadn't relised how sad and lonely she must have sounded last night, she never paid attention to herself when she talked. She remembered the conversation but she didn't want to remember the kiss part, she now felt like she was making a fool of herself for even losing it for something so pointless.

The one part that kept replaying in her head was like a record skipping, the part where he said it reminded him of himself. She loosened up, felt herself lean forward in her exhaustion and fall onto his chest.

It was so soft and cushiony, she could stay there for ever, and it relaxed her. Before she knew it she could feel herself start to drift off, she quickly pulled away. Ginger meet her stare with Kowalski and she smiled shyly.

" I'm sorry, I'm just so tired"

Kowalski smiled and tapped his flippers together nervously as if thinking about something, then infront of Ginger's eyes, he laid down. He then motioned for her to lay down on him, Ginger just stared wide eyed at him.

" No no no I couldn't do that! " Ginger said though the tempation of sleep was taunting her.

Kowalski rolled his eyes and stood up, he walked towards Ginger and rapped his flippers around her, slowly, he laid back down on his stomach and rubbed Ginger's back. The whole time that she was laying there she thought of one thing, her mother. Her mom did the same thing when she couldn't sleep, she'd lay on her mom's stomach while she rubbed her back, and she sing a song. She cerently didn't want to ask Kowalski to start singing, thats all she needed. Instead she muttered a lullaby to herself, with Kowalski rubbing her back to the time. Slowly she felt herself start to drift off.

When she awoke to what felt like hours later, she peered down to Kowalski's unsleeping eyes, suddenly aware of what was going on she jumped off Kowalski and stood her ground. Ginger felt so embarrised that she slept on her friend like that!

" Oh my gosh how long have I been like that?" Ginger asked.

" For about 3.8 hours" Kowalski said smiling, Ginger didn't smile.

" I'm sorry Kowalski! It'll never happen again I promise!" and with that Ginger found herself running up towards the ladder. She passed Skipper, Private and Rico and pushed herself out of the tunnel into the penguin's habitat. Ginger then swam to get the wall and when she got over she decided there was one person she needed to see, her true best friend.

Marlene.


	6. Amore

Chapter 6: Amore

Was she going mad? was there a purgatory on earth? or was there more hell then heaven in her mind? Kowalski the name literally screamed in her mind, she needed air. To be persice she needed to be free, to roam the earth like she once did in Tasmania.

Outside, her mind did get all the facts, Kowalski did indeed like her, to much. Ginger was sweating bullets and felt her secretary blanket, Marlene. Could calm her down. She walked more like ran, towards Marlene's exhibit. Her mind twisted of thoughts of her laying on him sleeping, of the unsure of itself kiss. Her breathe exhilaratated and she nearly ran into the wall instead of climbing over it.

She fell aimlessly unto the pond below her and let herself float, she laid there untill she saw Marlene swimming over to her.

" You look worse, are you getting better with things?"

" No" Ginger said while she closed her eyes.

" What happened?" Marlene just had to ask.

" Kowalski let me sleep on his chest, and-and I couldn't stop myself, I never got much sleep the other night" Ginger opened her eyes and met Marlene's golden eyes boring into her's.

Marlene stepped back and was wide eyed. She then knew why Ginger was so lifeless, she put a hand out to help her up, Marlene dragged her to her cave, so they both could decust about what was going on.

" What is with the man?, I just don't get what he's doing" Marlene was pacing back and forth, Ginger's eyes watching every movement.

" I don't know, I just want it to stop" Ginger said while pulling herself into an upright fetal postion.

" You'll have to tell him yourself then" Marlene came to the conclusion, she sounded please, almost like she thought she'd when a Nobel prize for it.

" Yea" Ginger started to dab her fingers around on the floor, not in any pattern just little circles and curves. Ginger just kept drawing untill she relised what she was drawing, a heart.

" Everytime I get mad or furious, he kicks in like a tranquilizer, I feel blissed after and relaxed and even forget why I got mad at him in the first place, then it turns into a intimtie episode between us" Ginger finally looked up and confesed.

Marlene nodded her head, she crossed her arms in thought and closed her eyes.

" I'd tell him but you'll have to deal with it, but thats not what I'm worried about"

Ginger snapped her head up at Marlene, not what she was worried about? What did she mean? Was there something else that they were illumintating into the picture,oblivious that they even were? Ginger felt herself tension up and sit straighter up.

" What do you mean?"

" I mean will you like it?"

" Huh?"

Marlene smiled a comforting smile, though Ginger knew there was more to it.

" What I mean is, will you mind not letting Kowalski touch your nose or body? Would it start to bother you that you'd go nuts and demand it?"

Aha, Ginger could feel herself start to even wonder the same thing, she stared at the floor then back up at Marlene, tension her whole life was tension and decisions, even though so was everyone else's. However it was like God wanted her life to be a terrible and depressed platypus, Ginger once again started drawing hearts on the floor, her estacy, from her pain and for comfort.

" Your not sure, are you?" Marlene asked a little too hasty.

" Mmhmm" Ginger said letting all her emotions shift though that one little sound, by the sound of it she compressed all of her feelings for a while, she learned she'd probably would have vented by now but didn't, to feel an empty chest felt good. Question was, when was it going to be clogged again.

" Well why don't we send you somewhere that is Kowalski and penguin free" Marlene suggested.

" Where would that be?" Ginger had to ask, she could see the penguin's habitat from her exhibit and it was smack dab in the middle of the zoo as well, Ginger could also feel her mind start to shatter when she heared the word free.

" Well I'm gonna need some supplies, but it'll work like magic" Marlene started to rummage though an old rusted trunk beside her bed.

In an instance she pulled out a paintbrush, some green paint, and an art smock. She slowly creaped closer towards Ginger.

" Be prepared to be one, sick, platypus"

* * *

Nice idea, but not something that'd Ginger give credit for. First of, her face was covered more like oozed green paint and it ran into her eyes frequently. She was just staring into a huge celiling light, which didn't help her eye problem at all, her body strapped down to a huge blue gurney, and a huge pillow supporting her neck.

Yes, Ginger was at the zoo hospital.

It was Marlene's ingenious idea to make her "sick" so she could be penguin free, however Ginger's mind turned to logic. Wasn't the hospital supposed to be a place where friends and family visit? Apparently Marlene didn't look at her oppitions very well.

The room's door just kept swinging open every 5 seconds, Ginger's head was in a blur from watching it swing open so many times, every time she expected it to be Kowalski or one of the penguins. It was no one she knew or even cared about, it'd always be a doctor taking a blood or physical exam, the thought of needles pricking her made her think of the one thing she didn't want to.

Kowalski.

The thought of the experiment, what a better way then to do it here and right now! Geez, knowing Kowalski he'd probably think he died and went to heaven with all the techinacal advantages in one site, Ginger thinking of how he'd act made her lips curve into a smile. She really wanted someone to talk to right now.

The morning passed quickly into noon, Ginger lay there on the gurtney all day and waited, she waitied for Marlene to come in and say what was going on, with the outside world that is. Ginger just kept looking out at the window watching the clouds swift across the sky. _I want out_ was all the came to mind.

A doctor came in breaking Ginger's train of thought, he flipped though his clipboard, funny, just like Kowals--- wait do not go there Ginger thought, the doctor then used his stefascope to listen to Ginger's heart. After he was finished he took her pulse and waited while staring at the clock on the wall, Ginger just layed there wondering what was he doing to her.

" Well you seem healthy, your tests are fine, your pulse is fine, but what puzzles me is what is on your face" The doctor quickly took a chip of paint off of Ginger's nose, he held it up towards the operating light and looked puzzled by what he saw.

" Paint?" He asked and he quickly turned back towards Ginger, Ginger smiled shyly however to humans they didn't know that animals smiled.

The doctor retreated out the door and quickly returned with a huge facecloth, he wiped Ginger's face clean of paint and smiled when it was finished.

" You probably stumbled unto wet paint or something, it's fine you can be picked up by Alice I'll call her" And with that the doctor went though the doors, within minutes he returned with a huge metal cage.

Ginger was stuffed into the cage and was sent to the opening where she would wait. Ginger was excited that she could leave, she'd probably die of bordom or of something else, she would be thinking about Kowalski the whole time. The place had his name written all over it, and this was the place Marlene suggested she should stay at, her home was more Kowalski free then the hospital and she could see him from her place! Marlene better check her thoughts more often.

When Alice came to pick her up she talked to the doctor, all Ginger understood was when Alice exclaimed " Paint??" Ginger was then lifted and brought back to her habitat.

Ginger swam around in order to remove some of the excess paint, and to mostly get the awful hospital smell off of her. She didn't really want to visit with Marlene when she laid eyes on the right side of the wall, but she did want to do one thing however.

Every thing screamed inside of her, her body froze up, she didn't want to go. However she had to explain what she was feeling like and explain why she was avoiding the boys so much. She mostly wanted to talk to Kowalski, she relised something was arising in her life, but she couldn't her finger on it.

She held her breathe as she slowly climbed over the wall.

* * *

When she arrived at the penguin's HQ, the first thing she wanted was his warmth, rather then the cold metal bars of her hospital bed or the cage. She felt herself running as fast as she could towards his office, passing Skipper who was yelling at her about something and Rico and Private who were just confused about the whole situtation.

Ginger felt tears start to spill from her eyes, her body felt like it was stuck in an eternity of isoalation and needed to recover from darkness. She felt the metal door sepretaing her and him, she pushed it open, eyes full of tears staring into his wide and confussed eyes.

" G-Ginger? Marlene told me you were sick!" Kowalski waddled closer to her, she could feel his body temperture slowly start to rise even inch they got.

" I wasn't it was a mistake, everything here is a huge mistake I should just go home" Ginger whispered though loud, gasping sobs.

Kowalski wasn't sure of what was going on, saw that the other 3 penguins were hovering around his door, smiriking. He glared at them for a second, then darted his eyes at Ginger who was crying for no apparent reason.

" Ginger, you need to slow down, what's wrong? I don't understand what's this about mistakes?" Kowalski could feel himself slowly start to lean forwards to her, stopped immedatly when he relised he was.

Ginger looked up at him, her fur soaked with tears and clamping her hands together nervously. She took a huge breath and tried to say something, the words never showed.

" Kowalski!" She yelled and she pummbled right into him, sobbing her heart out on his soft chest. She felt Kowalski slowly put his flippers around her waist and start to rub her back, he then leaned his head onto her shoulder. Ginger felt the sadness being replaced with love and bliss, she still tried to relieve her gasping breath. She then could feel his warm breath beating down her neck, chilling where ever the tears had dried on her fur. She then felt soft, warm lips pressing against her neck, kissing her in several places on her neck before it stopped. Ginger could feel her love being replaced with embarrisiment this time, She let go of him and stared at him.

A sure smile appeared on his face.

" Your not a mistake, nor are you alone, and neither am I anymore"

Ginger could feel herself start to cry at his words. It was true she was never felt alone when she was with him, nor with the other penguins. Ginger could feel a smile tugging at her lips untill it reveiled on her face. She clamped her hands together gleefully and she walked over to Kowalski, looking up at the tall penguin, she stood on her tip toes and slowly pecked him on the cheek.

" Thank you, thank you everyone I'm not alone anymore" Ginger walked away happily,

* * *

No, no no! It was like a dawning of a new and worse nightmare. She was only here a week, not very long and now it was the ending of a wonderful dream.

On her habitat wall there was a sign that read.

Transferring, Platypus order recalled.

It seemed like, her life wasn't as perfect as she thought.


	7. Painful

Chapter 7: Painful

Well it was almost over, her meaningless life was almost over. The sign that said in huge letters had told her that she was leaving, again.

Ginger just stood in wide eyed shock, the sign almost mocking her in a way that she wanted to tear it down. However, there must have been a reason for why she had to be transferring, wanting answers she walked over to Marlene's.

* * *

Marlene walked back with Ginger to read the sign, Marlene looked at it, sighed, and solemly turned towards Ginger. Marlene looked as if she didn't know what to say to her, she put one hand on her shoulder like Skipper would have, and said softly.

" It means your going back to Tasmania for some reason"

Ginger felt her hands go up to her face and start to bawl, why? Just after she got used to the boys and Marlene, and after she felt loved, she would never recieve that feeling in Tasmania. She would just be put a former shell of herself, lonely and bitter. Ginger cerently didn't want that to happen again, she wanted answers why she was leaving.

" I think I know who can help me" Ginger said while turning towards the penguin habitat.

* * *

Ginger explained what was going on to Skipper, he listened carefully and asked Kowalski to take notes. The whole time Ginger saw that Kowalski was halfheartly writting, which was unuseal for him, however she knew the reasons why. Ginger could feel herself start to cry which made her more angry, the whole time she was here she just cried, cried, cried, cried. That might have been a reason, they probably saw her so upset they figured she was homesick. Ginger dried her tears immedatly.

" Okay men, you heard the situtation, we need answers and now!" Skipper motioned for Rico and Private to do a background check on any zoo files. Skipper then turned towards Marlene. Kowalski and Ginger.

" You three are going to go over to Alice's and listen well, she sometimes says things outloud"

All three of them nodded, they left the HQ and walked over to the zoo's main office. Ginger never really said much, and neither did the others. They just walked in silence and listened to the owls that hooted above their heads, Ginger could feel a conversation starter rising in her throat, but she dislodged it, she did feel like talking but the words didn't come out, just as a little sqeak and that was it. After what felt like an hour, they arrived at the zoo's main office.

The window was lighted, and they could see a silhoutte of a girl, presumbly Alice. Ginger just sat in the bush just as the others had did, this time with the look of anger on her face she wanted to hear why she was leaving, by the looks of the darkness in the aura of light, there was a meeting going on.

" Alright you knuckleheads listen up! I'm Alice and we need to talk about a platypus transfer" They heard Alice's voice boom.

Bingo, was all Ginger thought to herself.

" What seems to the problem with the platypi, besides her different complexion?" They heard an older man ask,

" Well I have complains from people that they never see her, or hear her, so I figure she's homesick, she is a wild platypus from Tasmania"

Ginger listened and relised, she had never seen any humans and they didn't see her, she was always to busy with the boys or Marlene. So it did make sence when they tagged her as homesick, but that wasn't the problem! To bad animals couldn't speak in human tongue. Ginger turned to Kowalski, he looked heartbroken she wondered what she even looked like. Ginger held out her hand and Kowalski put his flipper around hers.

" How much time do I have left?" Ginger had to ask, she wanted to spend her time wisely.

Kowalski took out his notebook, flipped furiously through it and paused at a page, he scribbled for about 10 minutes and then looked worse.

" About 0.0 minutes and hours, you'll be gone by tomorrow"

Ginger looked at Kowalski and heared quiet little sobs arising from his chest, he was crying. Ginger felt herself involuntary start to sob herself, she craddled herself around him and he did the same, Ginger could hear Marlene even start to sob. Ginger didn't want to leave, she doubted herself for even dubbing this place as a mistake, it was a correction! a correction in her life! why couldn't anyone else see that? It made her cry more as she relised she was being shipped out tonight.

* * *

Ginger hid herself in her burrow, aware that this was the first place that Alice would look. But what could she do? She was being shipped regardless, no matter what she said. The others had left and she wanted for Kowalski to come over and talk to her, she even made sure she had enough space in her burrow for him. Suddenly she heared the sound of something gliding through the water.

She creaped outside and saw Kowalski was gliding towards her, something was shining on his neck, it was pretty and it made her calm, she saw that whatever it was he was cradling it in his flipper. Ginger stepped into view, she didn't care if Alice grabbed her right now, only because she was with the one and only true person she loved.

Kowalski.

What suprised her was that she admitted it to herself, all this time she was deniening it, and she hadn't even relised that she loved when he touched her, it made her feel loved like the love that she used to share with her mother. Ginger felt her arms opening up wanting to be embraced by him, she was his, no one elses, they both were not alone anymore. Even if they were seas apart they would still love each other and thats what true love is about, being or not being with the one you love regardless of what the outcome is.

He gave her a huge teddy bear like hug and smiled at her, he then grabbed the item around his neck and held it out so she could see it, Ginger gasped it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. It was a heart shaped necklace with a bunch of colorful little beads inside, she looked at Kowalski.

"It's a proposal, you take this so I know that you'll always love me and I'll be yours, and when, er if you come back I'll take you as my wife, but! only you take this necklace" Kowalski said while curling his flipper around the necklace.

Did she want to become married to Kowalski? The answer was already in her heart, yes. Yes she did she wanted his love, they fitted so well together and they would be perfect together.

" Yes, I do" Ginger said while she put the necklace around her neck, Kowalski smiled, leaned closer, she did too and they kissed and cuddled each other, Ginger held tight to him for a long time, she wanted to remember his warmth, his kiss, his everything. When they let go of each other Ginger suprised herself, she didn't cry though she felt like she wanted too. Instead Ginger wore her goofy looking smile and giggled, it then turned into a long over exargareted laugh, something she never thought she'd ever do, when she stopped she smiled and looked at Kowalski.

" Thank you, I'll never forget you, I don't think I could" Ginger said while eyeing the necklace.

" That piece of paper that Private said was classified, was actually blueprints for that necklace, Skipper and I both thought it'd be a nice present for your birthday or something, I must admit I'd never thought I'd give it to you soo soon, but" He stopped midsentence, not sure of what to say.

" Thank you" Ginger said, now she felt tears start to fall from her face.

Just then they saw Alice coming around the corner, Ginger turned to Kowalski gave him another hug, and he swam away over the wall, leaving Ginger by herself. Alice came through the employees gate and looked and smiled at Ginger.

" Well girl, you'll be happy now were sending you back to Tasmania, so in the cage you go" Alice stuffed Ginger unto a metal cage and started walking towards the main office. Ginger still wearing a bit of smile, kept looking at her proposal necklace. She grasped it and said to herself,

_Yes, yes I will be back, you can count your life on it, I'll find my way back to you Kowalski, please believe me!_

* * *

What goes around comes around I guess, Ginger once again put into another crate only this time she was going back home. Home, wasn't a good word, her home was in New York with the boys and her one love. Ginger knew she wasn't alone however, she still felt the embrace of Kowalski in her necklace. She slowly closed her eyes, still seeing only more darkness. She tried to drift off to sleep.

Ginger was awakened by a loud siren sound just moments later, it scared the heck out of her as she felt her crate being picked up, also the sound of humans screaming commands at each other was disturbing. The only thing that Ginger got out the whole scream fest was of the word Ireland.

" What is that place?" Ginger asked herself aloud, it cerentaly wasn't Tasmania she knew that for sure. Just then she felt her crate being dropped, and nothing else. Slowly she felt the crate breaking in several places, when the top fell on top of her, Ginger peeked her nose out the crate and smelled fresh air for miles. When Ginger got out of the crate she saw something she hadn't expected to see.

A huge castle just miles away, long bends of green grasses everywhere she turned. A flock of rolly pollie animals all with fluffy white fur all over them. She wasn't sure where she was, but she had one idea.

She remembered when the humans were screaming at each other, the word Ireland showed up quite a bit in the conversation, she thinks she knows where she is.

Ireland.

THE END! thanks for reading, btw the Ginger story is what I want to make an arc, this was the first one where I introduce Ginger, second is her finding herself in Ireland after a wrong plane command and 3rd you'll find out!


End file.
